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Ubisoft Details Project Dust

After a stunning E3 debut trailer, the publisher finally provides some information.

Ubisoft's E3 press conference on Monday puzzled in a number of ways. First there was the impromptu game of laser tag (sorry, Battle Tag) that appeared to irritate actor/comedian host Joel McHale. Then there was the pink-haired guy introducing PC breathing and relaxation "game" Innergy. But perhaps most puzzling was Ubisoft's lack of an explanation for one of its most promising looking new titles, codename Project Dust.

Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot introduced the debut IP, describing it simply as "beautiful" before showing a trailer, which, true to Guillemot's word, was stunning. Sadly, after the trailer, Ubisoft quickly moved on with its presser and kept all details of the game to itself.

Thankfully, the game's creator, Eric Chahi, the man behind classic PC cinematic platformer Out of this World, stepped forward today with plenty of details on Project Dust, a game he described as the "spiritual heir to Populus."

Based around what Chahi describes as a "technological breakthrough," Project Dust will grant players god like powers and allow them to manipulate the enviroment around them like never before in an effort to save their tribe from an apocalyptic world.

"Ground, water, lava, fire, plants and trees. [You can] model the world like a child playing sand castles on the beach. With such powers, players will help their people resist, expand and migrate so they can accomplish their quest to find a safe place," Chahi said.

And a safe place won't be easy to find as Project Dust will
throw players into an extreme version of planet Earth, one where nature unleashes its power through frequent, violent tsunamis, earthquakes, floods, wildfires, and volcanic eruptions.

"With Project Dust, we want to be the most spectacular XBLA/PSN game to date by giving players a deep experience, in a believable world," Chahi said. "Make them live an epic human adventure."

Project Dust is set to launch on Xbox Live, PlayStation Network, and as a PC download in spring 2011.

Sharkey says: I'm not a huge Populus fan, but I loved Out of this World back in the day. If Chahi can deliver with impressive god powers and manipulative environments, I'll do my best to save my Dust tribe.